Bosun (2 page)

“His friend?” Katie chokes on her soda. “Um, Dev, he owns an auto repair shop. I bet he’s the one working on your car.”

“Well, that explains why the labor is free.” I twirl my foot again. He said Cherry would be taken care of by someone who understood how important she was to me. My heels click when I hop off the counter. “He’s going down.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure about that.” Katie crumples her wrapper up in a ball to toss. It thumps when it hits the edge of the garbage can and goes in. “But if he does, I bet you’re going with him.”

***

T
he nice thing about being my own boss is that I can close my salon whenever I want. Because I don’t have any appointments this afternoon, it wasn’t any trouble to get away to meet Bosun. Katie gave me a ride on her way home, and I pick my way carefully around the puddles to the front door. I glance at my reflection in the glass. I’m wearing my shiny red rain jacket with a belt pulled tight at the waist. It accentuates my curvy body, and I feel sexy. When I enter, I stand for a moment so he can get the full effect. Unfortunately, nobody is here to see me.

I take in the surroundings as my umbrella snaps shut. The floor is concrete, with a throw rug and a random selection of what I assume are thrift-store chairs set out as a waiting area. Dog-eared magazines are piled haphazardly on the coffee table. I approach the counter, which is high but doesn’t hide the mess that’s behind it. “Hello?”

A voice from a speaker sounds in the room. “Be right out.”

I glance around, wondering if there’s a camera that alerted him to my presence. Before I can figure it out, a door behind the counter opens. Bosun’s face breaks into a smile when he sees me. And I can’t help but smile back. He’s wearing loose jeans that are slung low on his hips and a tight wife-beater T-shirt that puts his fabulous pecs and abs on display. 

“Sorry, I’m all alone today. Come in the back with me.”

My pulse quickens as I imagine what we can do without anyone around. He leads me into a large, garage-like space that has the distinct odor of gasoline. Cherry’s partially covered in paper and tape. Bosun says, “She’s getting ready to be painted.”

“You mean you’re done with everything else?” My heels tap on the concrete as I walk around my car, inspecting the work. My heart sinks a little, because I wanted to have a reason to see Bosun multiple times.

“Yup. I guessed you might be in a hurry to have your
Cherry
back.” He emphasizes the pet name for my car, and I glance at his twinkling eyes.

I walk closer to him. “I don’t know why you think it’s so funny that I named my car.”

Bosun steps closer to me, and his musk is mixed with a clean deodorant aroma that fills my nose. The blend is slightly intoxicating, when I should find it gross. His eyes scan my body. “Cute jacket. You have a thing for red.”

I poke him in the chest. “And you have a thing about teasing me.”

He grabs my hand and places it on his chest. Rock-hard muscles are barely disguised by cotton, and I inhale sharply. Bosun’s voice vibrates on my palm. “If you want to touch me, there’s no need to hurt me to do it.”

I yank my hand away and clench it into a fist. “That’s not what I was doing.”

Bosun has stepped even closer, leaving inches between our bodies, and he leans down close to my neck. My belly trembles, but I stand my ground as I wonder if he’s going to kiss me. He inhales through his nose. I ask, “Are you sniffing me?”

“Um-hmm, and you smell good enough to eat.”

I step back as the vision of him between my legs makes my insides tingle, and I struggle to breathe. “Wh-what?”

He grins and thumbs my lower lip. “I meant your mouth, Little Red Riding Hood.”

My jaw drops. “You are unbelievable!” I’m tempted to stomp out, but the fact that my skin is flushed from desire makes me stay put and say, “My, what a big ego you have.”

“All the better to tempt you with.”

I shake my head. “Katie was right about you.”

“My sister-in-law? You two must be close, if she picked you up the other day.”

“She’s my best friend.” I cross my arms and take my time scanning him with my eyes. “She says you’re a player, and now I believe it.”

Bosun shrugs. “You seem to like the game.”

I do, damn it. But I’m fresh out of sass. I sigh and ask, “Should I give you a deposit or something toward my bill?”

“No. We can figure that out when I’m done.” Bosun walks over to a counter that has a one-cup coffee machine and mini fridge under it. “Can I get you something to drink? Coffee?”

I’m not ready to race away, so I say, “Coffee would be great. Just cream, please.”

Water rushes as he runs the machine, and I ask, “So why did you want me to come here?”

“I wanted you to see I was taking good care of your car. You strike me as the kind of girl who doesn’t let things happen without some input.”

“That’s a nice way of calling me a control freak, isn’t it?”

“Maybe.” Bosun hands me a mug and doesn’t let go right away. “Or maybe I just wanted to see you again.”

Oh boy, just when I was cooling down, he ramps me up. I ask, “So you can add me to the list of conquests?” Crap.
Why did I just say that?

“Katie’s got me all wrong.” He takes a sip of his coffee and stares at me.

I wonder what it is he’s not saying. “How’s that?”

Bosun sets his cup down and reaches for mine to do the same. He tugs on the belt of my jacket to pull me close. His hands land lightly on my hips. “I like women, and I like to date. I don’t lie, I don’t cheat, and I don’t stay with someone who wants more from me than I can give.”

I place my hands on his chest. This time I press hard enough to feel the ridges of his muscles flex under my palms. “Fine. I like men, and I like to date. I don’t lie, I don’t cheat, and I don’t fall in love.” My lips burn for his, and I stare at his mouth longingly. He pulls away and takes a deep breath, as if I’m affecting him the same way.

Katie was right. If he’s going down, so am I.

B
osun offers to drive me home, but I’d already arranged for Katie to come back for me when she finished her grocery shopping. I had just recovered from my close encounter with Bosun and picked up my coffee mug when I hear my friend’s voice boom in the garage. I turn toward the sound to see a black-and-white version of her on a small television screen.

Bosun walks over to it and pushes a button. “We’ll be right out.” He glances at me. “I guess it’s time for you to go.”

I nod.

“Do you play pool?” he asks.

“I’ve played, but I wouldn’t say I’ve mastered the game.”

“Good.” He places his hand at the small of my back to guide me back to the waiting room. His breath tickles my neck when he whispers in my ear, “I hate to lose.”

Normally I’d have a quick comeback, but nothing about Bosun has me acting normally, so I don’t reply.

Katie asks, “All set?”

“Yes.” I turn to Bosun. “You’ll call when Cherry’s done?”

He gives me a sly smile. “I’ll call.”

“Great, thanks.” This time I manage more than a toddler’s wave, but the way I flutter my fingers is almost as bad.

I slump in the passenger seat of Katie’s SUV. “I’m pathetic.”

Her windshield wipers begin to thump at a steady beat when she turns on the car. “Spill it.”

“I’m acting like a twelve-year-old with her first crush. I almost kissed him.”

“Devon.”

“I know, I know. He’s a player. I’m going to get hurt.”

“No. That’s not quite it.” She rakes a hand through her hair. “Look, there’s more to this than I can tell you right now.” Katie glances at me. “Please, take it slow. Please?”

I chuckle. “If you’re asking me not to sleep with him on the first date, fine. But I gotta tell you... he’s got some moves.”

Katie winces. “Stop. That’s my brother-in-law.”

“So what is it you can’t tell me? Is he an ex-con or something?”

“No. I shouldn’t have said anything. There’s no reason you can’t date him and have a good time.” Puddles splash as Katie pulls into the parking lot of my apartment complex. “To practice. We both know your Mr. Right has a sexy accent.”

“
Mais oui
,
ma cherie
.” The dream of a French lover and my future in Paris has begun to fade. I pulled out that fantasy anytime people asked what I was going to do after high school. Somehow, being a hairdresser didn’t stack up to my friend’s college path, so I came up with an adventure that made people give me the same praise they’d given Katie. I’d even convinced myself it’s what I wanted. But the stagnant bank account balance I maintain for the trip says otherwise.

Metal is cold in my hand as I pull the door handle, and Katie touches my arm. “Hey. I’m sorry I’m being such a mom. Bosun is super hot, and you should go for it.”

I wink at her before stepping out of the car. “Then I will. Because if you knew what those pecs felt—”

“Got it!”

We’re both chuckling when I wave goodbye. My neighbor’s black cat is on my doorstep when I approach, and the glowing eyes startle me. “Spooky, geesh, you almost gave me a heart attack. I’m going to have to get you a glowing collar.”

She meows, and I lift her up and tuck her into my body as I unlock my door. Her purring rumbles against my chest, and I cuddle the wet kitty. Winter Valley is a small town, and the one affordable-but-safe apartment complex caters to a wide variety of residents. On one side of me is Myrtle, an eighty-year-old retired librarian, and on the other side is Frank, a thirty-five-year-old school teacher.

I set my purse and the cat down to hang up my coat. Spooky rubs against my legs, begging for a treat. I make my way to the kitchen, and a cabinet clicks when I pull it open. “Myrtle says you’re getting fat, so I’m not supposed to do this.” I pull two treats from a plastic bag and squat down to give them to Spooky. “This is our secret, okay?”

The cat rubs her head against my hand, and I scoop her up to go sit on the sofa. Her fur is silky soft under my hand as I pet her. “There’s this guy.” The cat begins to purr. “I know. He’s beyond dreamy. All muscles, with hair long enough to grab, and sparkling blue eyes. But Spooky”—I sigh—“you should see his mouth. The things I want those lips to do...”

My phone buzzes with a text, and I set the cat aside to go get it.

It’s Bosun.
Tomorrow night 7?

Giddiness makes me let out a little squeal, and I reply, “
Sure, where?
”

“
I’ll come get you. Where do you live?
”

My fingernails click as I type out my address, and nerves set in. I have a date with a guy who makes my emotions oscillate between lust and anger. He sets me on edge in a way nobody else ever has. And Katie hinted at a dark secret that has her warning me to stay away. Could he be any more tempting?

I drop to the couch, and Spooky climbs into my lap for attention. Am I attracted to the bad-boy aspect of Bosun? The way he leaves me speechless with his teasing when that’s usually my forte? Or is it because my body hums with desire when I so much as look at him?

I lift the cat into the air and nuzzle her nose. “What do you think?” She opens up her mouth to let out a meow, and I think Spooky is telling me I should stop worrying and just have fun. Or that she wants to go home.

I open the door to rain splattering down from the gutter into the gully below. I didn’t bother with my raincoat, and I jog down my steps and up my neighbor’s quickly. Myrtle answers the bell right away. She
tsks
at me as I hand her the cat. “You’ll catch a cold, running around in the rain without your coat, Devon.”

“I’m fine. I hope you don’t mind that I kept Spooky for a while. We had a nice chat.”

“Any time. Thanks for bringing her home.”

A car splashes by as I walk back down the steps, and I glance past the road to the woodlands across it. For the second time tonight, I’m startled by a pair of glowing eyes. I wonder if it’s another cat or something wilder. When I get to my door, I turn around to look for the animal that was watching me, but it’s gone.

A
s much as I love working on people’s hair and talking to my customers, I’m not sure I’ll ever enjoy having to discuss the weather in detail multiple times a day. Linda, my soccer-mom client, says, “It’s crazy how warm this spring is. My tulips are already coming up.”

“I know. We still had snowbanks at this time last year.” Foil crinkles as I take a piece from her to slide under a thin section of he hair. “I heard it was supposed to hit eighty today.”

“I don’t doubt it. I bet we’ll have a hot summer.” I paint color chemicals on her hair for highlights, and she asks, “Do you still have that cute little red Bug?”

I sigh. “Yeah. But it’s at the shop right now.”

“Oh no. What happened?”

“I was rear-ended.”

“Oh, that’s the worst, especially when you find out that insurance claims it’s partially your fault.” She hands me another piece of foil.

“Yeah. Well, fortunately I didn’t have to make a claim. The guy who hit me happens to be an auto mechanic, and he’s helping me out.”

“Oh, nice. What shop?”

“Lindholm Auto Repair.”

Linda smiles at me, and I guess she knows Bosun. “Have you met the owner, Bosun, yet?”

My cheeks flush. “Yes. He’s the one helping me out.”

“Wow. I wouldn’t mind him rear-ending me.” She winks. “But of course I’m old and married, so I’ll have to live vicariously through you.”

I chuckle, and Linda says, “I’ve heard he’s quite the eligible bachelor. He has a successful business and owns a home over by Silver Lake. You’d do well with him, Devon.”

“I’m not sure I’m ready to settle down. But that body?” I raise my eyebrows at her in the mirror.

“That’s how it starts. And before you know it, you’re driving a car full of screaming kids to a soccer game.” She sighs. “It happens so fast.”

“So that’s how it happened with Steve?”

“Pretty much. The first time we met, I felt a tingle I never had before. Our first date was at Pete’s.”

Pete’s is a local bar and where most people go to play pool. I smile at Linda as I wrap up the last highlight. “It just so happens I have a date with Bosun tonight, and I think he’s taking me to Pete’s.”